Annapurna Base Camp Trek — Self-Launched
13 days · Nepal
Ace the Himalaya charges £975
No-markup version: ~£396 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 13-day independent version of the classic Annapurna Base Camp route: Kathmandu → Pokhara → Ulleri → Ghorepani/Poon Hill → Sinuwa → Deurali → Annapurna Base Camp → Jhinu hot springs → back to Pokhara and Kathmandu. Instead of a fully guided group tour with porters, you'll do this self-launched: pick up your ACAP permit and TIMS card yourself in Pokhara, ride local buses and shared jeeps, sleep in the same teahouses the group tours use (booked on arrival, night by night), and eat dal bhat in the lodges. It's demanding walking — 5-7 hours most days and a big 1,000m+ push to Base Camp at 4,130m — but it's one of the most straightforward big treks in the Himalaya to organise solo. Costs are approximate backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights and travel insurance (which you must arrange, including helicopter evacuation cover to 4,500m).
Day-by-day
Arrive in Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Land at Tribhuvan International Airport, buy a local SIM/eSIM at the terminal (Ncell or NTC, ~£3-5 for data), and take a pre-paid airport taxi or ride-hailing app to Thamel (~£4-6). Check into a Thamel guesthouse or budget hotel. In the afternoon, walk to Durbar Marg or the Garden of Dreams, sort cash (Nepali rupees — ATMs in Thamel work, but bring a backup card), and buy any last trekking gear on the cheap along Thamel's trekking shops (down jacket and sleeping bag rentals ~£1-2/day each). Early night.
🚌Airport taxi ~£5
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Thamel, ~£15/night (twin share)
- →Thamel orientation walk
- →Gear rental and SIM card setup
- →Garden of Dreams
Kathmandu to Pokhara
Pokhara
Take a tourist bus from Kathmandu's Kantipath/Sorakhutte bus park to Pokhara — ~7 hours, ~£10-13 for a standard tourist coach, or ~£18-22 for a 'deluxe' with better seats. (Flights are ~£80-110 if you'd rather save a day.) Arrive Pokhara Lakeside, find a guesthouse near Phewa Lake, and spend the late afternoon walking the lakeshore with Annapurna and Machhapuchhre on the horizon. Eat dinner at a Lakeside dal bhat or momo spot.
🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu–Pokhara ~£12
🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Pokhara, ~£14/night
- →Phewa Lake sunset walk
- →Lakeside dinner
Permits, then Pokhara to Ulleri
Ulleri
Morning admin in Pokhara: get your ACAP permit and TIMS card at the Nepal Tourism Board office (bring passport photos and passport; combined cost roughly £22-25). Then take a shared jeep or local bus from Pokhara's Baglung bus park to Nayapul/Birethanti (~1.5 hrs, ~£2-3), or a shared jeep direct to Hile (~£5-6) to skip the road walk. Trek Birethanti → Hile → Ulleri: roughly 3-4 hours, finishing with the notorious stone staircase up to Ulleri. Check into a teahouse and order dal bhat. Note: teahouse rooms are cheap or free if you eat all meals there — budget ~£12-15/day for food and lodging combined on the trail.
🚌Local bus/jeep Pokhara–Nayapul ~£3
🛏Teahouse in Ulleri, ~£5-7 (with meals taken at the lodge)
- →Collect ACAP permit and TIMS card
- →Trek Birethanti to Ulleri (~3-4 hrs)
Ulleri to Ghorepani
Ghorepani
A steady climbing day through rhododendron and oak forest past Banthanti and Nangethanti, roughly 5 hours, gaining about 800m to Ghorepani (2,874m). Ghorepani is a cluster of lodges perched on the ridge; grab a room early since it fills in peak season. Buy a hot shower token (~£1-2) and charge your devices for a small fee. Set your alarm for Poon Hill tomorrow.
🚌On foot
🛏Teahouse in Ghorepani, ~£6-8
- →Trek Ulleri–Ghorepani (~5 hrs)
- →Rhododendron forest walking
Poon Hill sunrise, then on to Chuile
Chuile
Head up to Poon Hill (3,210m) before dawn — about 45 minutes uphill, no ticket needed beyond the ACAP permit, though there's a small Poon Hill entry fee (~£1-2). Sunrise over Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre is the classic photo. Back to the lodge for breakfast, then a long descent day via Deurali and Banthanti to Chuile (~6 hrs). Legs will know about it.
🚌On foot
🛏Teahouse in Chuile, ~£5-7
- →Poon Hill sunrise hike
- →Trek Ghorepani–Chuile via Deurali and Banthanti (~6 hrs)
Chuile to Sinuwa via Chhomrong
Sinuwa
Trek through Ghurjung, then the long steep climb into Chhomrong (2,170m) — the last big village with proper shops — before descending to the Chhomrong Khola suspension bridge and climbing again to Sinuwa. About 5-6 hours. From here on, prices rise with altitude, so stock up on snacks in Chhomrong.
🚌On foot
🛏Teahouse in Sinuwa, ~£6-8
- →Trek Chuile–Sinuwa via Ghurjung and Chhomrong (~5-6 hrs)
Sinuwa to Deurali through the bamboo forest
Deurali
The trail enters the Modi Khola valley proper: steep stone steps down through bamboo and rhododendron to Bamboo, then a gradual climb past Hinko Cave to Deurali (3,230m). Roughly 6 hours. It gets noticeably colder — pull out the layers. Go slow and drink water; this is your acclimatisation day before Base Camp. Consider a short acclimatisation walk in the afternoon.
🚌On foot
🛏Teahouse in Deurali, ~£6-8
- →Trek Sinuwa–Bamboo–Hinko Cave–Deurali (~6 hrs)
- →Optional acclimatisation walk
Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp
Annapurna Base Camp
The big day: climb past the avalanche-prone stretch to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700m), then up the moraine into the Annapurna Sanctuary to Base Camp at 4,130m. About 5-6 hours. The amphitheatre of Annapurna I, South, Fang and Gangapurna all around you at sunset is the whole point of the trek. Sleep early — the altitude makes it a restless night for many. If you're symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, nausea, breathlessness at rest), descend.
🚌On foot
🛏Teahouse at Annapurna Base Camp, ~£7-9
- →Trek Deurali–Machhapuchhre Base Camp–Annapurna Base Camp (~5-6 hrs)
- →Sunset over the Annapurna Sanctuary
Annapurna Base Camp to Bamboo
Bamboo
Catch sunrise from Base Camp, then retrace the trail down the valley — a long descending day of roughly 7 hours back past MBC, Deurali and Hinko Cave to Bamboo (2,310m). Your knees will feel it, but the air is thicker and the food gets cheaper with every step down.
🚌On foot
🛏Teahouse in Bamboo, ~£5-7
- →Sunrise at Annapurna Base Camp
- →Trek ABC–Bamboo (~7 hrs descent)
Bamboo to Jhinu Danda and hot springs
Jhinu Danda
Trek back up to Chhomrong via Khuldighar, then down the long staircase to Jhinu Danda. Drop your bags and walk 20 minutes down to the natural hot springs by the Modi Khola — the best shower of the trek, a small entry fee of ~£1-2. About 5-6 hours of walking total.
🚌On foot
🛏Teahouse in Jhinu Danda, ~£5-7
- →Trek Bamboo–Chhomrong–Jhinu Danda (~5-6 hrs)
- →Jhinu natural hot springs
Jhinu to Pokhara
Pokhara
A short morning walk down to Syauli Bazaar (~2-3 hrs) along the Modi Khola, then a shared jeep or local bus from Syauli Bazaar/Nayapul back to Pokhara (~£2-4). Back in Lakeside by afternoon: long shower, laundry, cold beer, and a proper non-dal-bhat meal. Book your Kathmandu bus for tomorrow at a Lakeside agency.
🚌Shared jeep/local bus Syauli Bazaar–Pokhara ~£3
🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Pokhara, ~£14/night
- →Trek Jhinu–Syauli Bazaar (~2-3 hrs)
- →Lakeside evening in Pokhara
Pokhara to Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Tourist bus back to Kathmandu (~7 hrs, ~£12). Check into a Thamel hotel, then spend the evening on your own farewell dinner — anywhere from a Thamel momo joint (~£4) to a nicer Nepali thali restaurant (~£12-15). If you have energy, wander to Swayambhunath or the Thamel backstreets.
🚌Tourist bus Pokhara–Kathmandu ~£12
🛏Budget hotel in Thamel, ~£15/night
- →Return bus to Kathmandu
- →Farewell dinner in Thamel
- →Optional Swayambhunath visit
Depart Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Last breakfast, any souvenir shopping in Thamel, then a taxi to Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight home (~£5). If your flight is late, a half-day Kathmandu Durbar Square entry (~£7) fills the time nicely.
🚌Airport taxi ~£5
🛏—
- →Thamel shopping
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Ace the Himalaya
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Ace the Himalaya | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£396 | £975 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £579 per person (59%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Ace the Himalaya-style trips? Check them out here.~£396
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Annapurna Base Camp Trek — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £396 per person for 13 days in Nepal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Ace the Himalaya?+
Yes — Ace the Himalaya charges around £975 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £396 — a saving of roughly £579 (59%) per person.
How long is the Nepal trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Nepal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a hiking, adventure, budget trip through Nepal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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